92656 and 92688 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
92656
92688
Opportunity
65 · Top 29%
vs62 · Top 34%
Growth
9 · Bottom 1%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Climate
100 · Top 4%
vs100 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 15%
vs66 · Bottom 30%
Access
87 · Bottom 33%
vs87 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
85 · Top 5%
vs84 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 92656 | 92688 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,229 | 43,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $137,639 | $152,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $67,396 | $65,019 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,530/sq mi | 3,277/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $903,200 | $906,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,841 | $2,651 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.5% | 68.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.4% | 49.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.0% | 6.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.2" | 11.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.2 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.21 | 24.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.7% | 29.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
92656
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
92688
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 92656 — Aliso Viejo, CA · 92688 — Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · How this is calculated: methodology